Since the start of the Aussie Millions this year, there was talk of a massive, super high roller $250,000 buy-in tournament. At first it was slated to be a heads-up event, then possibly an 8-game mixed event, and finally it was cleared to be a single table no-limit hold'em tournament. What nobody was counting on was just how many people were willing to pony up the $250k. Not only were we able to get a full table here in Studio 3, but we got two full tables and 20 total runners, creating a prize pool of $5 million dollars.

The field included poker greats such as Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, John Juanda, David Benyamine as well as some of the game's young guns like Annette Obrestad, Andrew Feldman and Daniel "jungleman12" Cates, and the now infamous Chinese businessmen; Paul Phua, Richard Yong and Wang Qiang.

One by one the field thinned, thanks in part to a super fast structure meant to ensure the trio of Phua, Yong and Qiang would be able to catch a flight tonight, but also thanks to the amazing run-good and skill of 2011 Aussie Millions $100k winner Sam Trickett.

After what felt like a final table massacre, thanks to the handy work of Trickett, only poker's newest hall of fame inductee, Erik Seidel and the young Trickett were remaining. Trickett held a sizable chip lead, and it looked like he would go back-to-back in two of the biggest tournaments in poker history. Seidel, however would not relent finding one timely double up after another. Soon, the players were even, yet Seidel had all the momentum, chipping away one pot at a time at Trickett who was clearly getting frustrated.

After about 45 minutes of heads-up play, the stacks now firmly swapped, and Seidel holding the chip lead, Trickett picked his spot, attempting to double. Unfortunately for him, Seidel was firmly in front with top-pair, and was able to hold, eliminating Trickett in second place, and earning Seidel the $2.5 million first prize.

This win in the biggest buy-in poker tournament in history, along with his 4th place finish in the 2011 PCA high roller event, and his 3rd place finish in the 2011 Aussie Millions 100k challenge, give Seidel $3.46 million in earnings this month alone. Congratulations Mr. Seidel on the historic win and legendary month.

From the button, Erik Seidel made it 100,000. Sam Trickett folded and we were off to the next hand in which Trickett raised to 125,000. Seidel called and the flop came down . Both players checked and the turn brought the . It was check, check again an the fell on the river. "Ace," said Trickett. "I didn't do anything," Seidel said. He then bet 100,000. Trickett laughed and folded.

On the next hand, Erik Seidel had the button and limped. Trickett then raised to 175,000. Seidel made the call and the dealer burned and turned a flop of . Trickett checked to Seidel, who fired out 150,000. Trickett moved all in and Seidel quickly called.

Trickett tabled , while Seidel showed for top pair. The turn, brought no help to Trickett, nor did the , and Sam Trickett was eliminated in 2nd place from the biggest buy-in tournament ever, taking home AUD$1.4 million.

Sam Trickett raised it up to 110,000 and Erik Seidel called. The flop was , and Seidel checked to Trickett who bet 150,000. Seidel made the call, and the turn was the . Both players checked to the river, and Seidel once again showed a winner, with the .

Erik Seidel limped his button on the next hand, and Trickett checked his option. The flop was and both checked. The turn was the , and Trickett bet 80,000, Seidel making the call.

The river was the and Seidel led out for 100,000, getting a quick fold from Sam Trickett.

On the third hand of this trio, Trickett limped his button, and Seidel checked. The flop was , and Seidel led out for 75,000. Trickett made the call, and the two saw on the turn. This time Seidel led out for 150,000, and Trickett who is completely out of chocolate chips, and is now sitting with tons of grey (1k) and yellow (5k) called.

The river was the , and Sediel checked to Trickett, who bet 500,000. Seidel asked "do you even have 500,000?" which he didn't. Seidel folded anyway.

After the hand, Trickett admitted he thought his stacks of grey were 100k each, when in fact they were only 20k each. He then said he would have played things very differently if he had been cognizant of that fact.

Erik Seidel, from the button, limped and Sam Trickett checked his option. The flop came down and both players checked to the river which was the . Trickett bet 75,000, which Seidel called. The river brought a and both players checked and Trickett tabled . "Nine is good," said Seidel.

On the next hand, Trickett made it 175,000 to go from the button and Seidel folded.

From the button, Erik Seidel made it 100,000. Sam Trickett then reraised to 300,000 total. Seidel made the call and the flop came down . Trickett bet 400,000. Seidel counted out his chips before making the call and the turn brought the . Trickett checked, as did Seidel and the river brought the . Both players checked again.

Sam Trickett limped from the button, and Erik Seidel bumped it up, making it 125,000 more. Trickett made the call, and the two saw a flop.

Seidel fired out a bet of 150,000, and Trickett made the call bringing the to the felt. Seidel then checked, and Trickett bet 300,000, with Seidel making the call.

The river was the , and Seidel again checked to Trickett, who shuffled a stack of chocolate 25k chips before sliding out a bet of 720,000 as the clock hit zero. Seidel gave himself the maximum amount of time to make his decisison, and finally made the call. His gut feeling was right, as Trickett showed for air, and Seidel's was good to take this big pot.

Erik Seidel limped from the button and Sam Trickett checked his option. The flop came down and Trickett checked to Seidel who bet 40,000. Trickett called and the turn brought the . Both players checked to the river which was the and Trickett showed for queen-high to take the pot.

From the button, Erik Seidel made it 90,000 and Sam Trickett couldn't find a call, folding his cards.

On the next hand, Sam Trickett made it 80,000 from the button. Seidel reraised to 225,000. Trickett, toying with his chips, slid out a reraise of 475,000 total before his time bank ran out. Seidel let out a sigh, shuffling his chips and then moved all in. Trickett insta-folded with an exasperated look on his face.

Erik Seidel limped from the button, and Sam Trickett put in a raise, making it 80,000 more for Seidel to call, which he did.

The flop came , and Trickett led out for 100,000 getting a quick fold from Seidel.

Trickett then raised his button, making it 80,000 to go preflop. Seidel made the call, and the two saw a flop.

Both players checked to the turn, and this time after Seidel checked, Trickett made it 90,000 to go. Seidel made the call, and the two saw the hit on the river.

Seidel checked to Trickett, who bet 250,000. Seidel let out a sigh, and allowed the entire time bank run down before tossing in his "time" chip, to get a few additional seconds. Seidel finally found a call, and showed . Trickett, made a "pshhhttt" noise flipping over , which was no good, allowing Seidel to grab a healthy pot.

Winner

Winner

Erik Seidel

Winning Hand

J9

Prize

2,500,000

Level Info

Level

13

Blinds

20,000 / 40,000

Ante

5,000

Players Info

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